Pretty For Pretty's Sake
by ProfessorCMO
Summary: Citizens of Storybrooke, Maine seek to establish the fantasy-land as a permanent part of the "real world." Magic and reality collide in this long, seemingly plot-less work. This piece is Emma/Regina centric. Other "Once" characters will make frequent appearances. Later on, a few OCs will be introduced.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: This is the first piece of fiction I have written in years. I am wordy to a fault. Feedback is appreciated, but not necessary.**

The brisk wind was relentless in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was a Tuesday morning, and while Regina Mills would normally be occupied with ensuring the municipal integrity of the small town of Storybrooke, Maine, today, she was in another state, walking from her car to a coffee shop. Though the wind was vicious, Regina wasn't fazed by it. She had endured worse—far worse. As she made her way from her Mercedes to the shop, she scanned the parking lot, looking for a familiar, silver BMW. Though she does not see it, she continues her path and gracefully enters the shop; she scans the patrons for a certain blonde, but her efforts are in vain. So she simply approaches the barista and orders a medium cappuccino.

Regina is given a number, and she takes a seat. While she knows her early-week trip is supposed to be a break, she pulls her phone from her bag and quickly opens her email, scans the subject lines, and exits before she can give herself time to respond. She opens her messaging app, sends a quick text. And then another. Then she opens the camera, quickly checks her surrounding for onlookers, and snaps a selfie-perfection on the first attempt. Until she noticed a man in the background of the photo who apparently chose that moment to lower his newspaper to scratch his chest and alter his countenance. But deciding that she was over analyzing, she selected the share option, chose the messenger app, added a quick "wish you were here" and hit send.

Regina glances up from her phone when her number is called, and as she makes her way back to the table a familiar face greets her from the door. The two smile, but before further pleasantries can be exchanged, the barista excitedly yells "KATHRYN! Want your usual?"

Kathryn replied a simple, "Sure that will be great," before turning to her friend and greeting her with a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. "Regina, you look great. You're glowing! And you look, just…" Unable to find the right word, Kathryn pulled her friend back in for a hug. "It has been a while! Forgive me, but I can't help but think this is bad news. . . " Before Kathryn could continue, the barista spoke up.

"Kat! Here ya go!"

Regina made her way back to the table, and Kathryn, upon receiving her drink, joined her. Before Kathryn could speak, Regina began, "I know our last meeting was less than ideal; that is my fault, and I sincerely apologize, but it was absolutely necessary that you were made aware of the state of the 'affairs.' I am glad, that we have moved past _everything_."

After the curse was broken, Kathryn regained her memories, found Fredrick, and fled Storybrooke. While there were rumors of her making appearances at events such as Neal's naming party, Regina had not specifically sought her out after the curse was broken because, honestly, when had she had time? Between trying to fetch Mary Margaret and Emma from the Enchanted Forest, battling the dark influences of her mother, protecting the curse's fail-safe, saving Henry from Neverland, dealing with the Snow Queen, and then Zelena… Not to mention Emma's Dark One nonsense. And purgatory—Let us not forget that adventure. Kathryn, though they were friends for twenty eight years during the curse, had been the least of her worries.

But after all of that, the town appointed a council—the Royal Council—which decided that the people of the Enchanted Forest should no longer have to live in Storybook against their will. So even though the drama seemed to be behind them, there was work to be done. The Council decided that Gold and Belle needed to form a committee to assist the Council with research and development of a portal similar to that of the Sorcerer's. Emma, David, and Robin began an official registration of everyone's Enchanted Forest identity. Mary Margaret and Regina took on the diplomatic responsibilities. After forming committees and developing plans, the Royal Council finalized the operation, and found that moving any and all willing parties back to the Enchanted Forest would take approximately three years.

After two weeks, Robin, David and Emma compiled their list, took it to 'headquarters' or Regina's mayoral office, and turned it over to Regina and Mary Margaret. Regina, who was reading over Mary Margaret's shoulder looked up. "Now Emma, you're sure everyone is on here?"

"Yes, even those who, unfortunately, are dead."

"Very well. I trust you." Regina smiled at Emma, somewhat proud of her for considering details for once, and glanced back down at the list. Her eyes began skimming the page quickly up and down, searching for something; her brows shifted into a questioning scowl. Deciding that Mary Margaret was taking too much time to look over the list, she jerked it away and flipped through the remaining pages.

"What is it Regina, who's not there?" Regina cut her eyes at Emma, who was moving beside Regina to look at the list with her.

"Kathryn. Princess Abigail." Regina's voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "She left town after Mary Margaret was framed for murdering her or after the curse broke. I'm not exactly sure when. She was the closest thing I thing I had to a friend during those awful years of the curse. And I was so preoccupied with killing you that I . . . forgot her. Forgot about her. Until now." Regina propped against the front of her desk and let her posture slide. A tense silence filled the room.

Unsure of what to say or do, Emma reached and put her hand on Regina's back. She watched her friend and softly whispered, "Regina, you are _not_ that person any more. So don't let your mind go down that road. And don't worry about Kathryn. I'm on it." Emma squeezed Regina's shoulder then left the room. She was followed only by the stares of Robin, David, Mary Margaret, and Regina.

As always, Emma delivered. Kathryn Nolan was discovered to be living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was, as she planned, attending law school. Although Emma's initial impulse was to go to Cambridge and convince Kathryn to come to Storybrooke, she knew that Kathryn would have no memories of neither her nor Regina. Never mind be willing to get into a car with her and come to an all but imaginary town. No this plan needed more finesse, so Emma took her findings to Regina.

Emma stood at the door to 108 Mifflin street. She had knocked twice with no answer. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Kid—Send. The phone rang three times before Henry answered. "Ma?"

"Hey kid. Are you home?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"Can you come let me in? I've been outside the front door for going on ten minutes. I'm starting to feel a little awkward." Emma could hear Henry's foot steps hurrying down the stairs through the phone. She waited for a 'Henry do NOT run in the house!' to come from the background, but it never came. Instead, her phone beeped indicating that Henry had ended the call. She slipped her phone back into her jacket pocket just as the door was opening. "If I had to wait another five minutes, I was going to break down the door. I was beginning to get worried." Emma crossed the threshold in the the Mills's foyer.

"Oh. I was playing a game online and had on my headset. I must not have heard you."

"And what about your mom? Is she here?" Emma's eyes scanned the area behind Henry for any signs of life from her friend. Henry glanced behind him and lowered his voice.

"She's not been herself today. She is not taking the news well." Henry gave Emma a look that she could only assume she was supposed to understand. But she was clueless. "Want something to drink, Ma?"

"Sure. And fill me in, what news?"

"You haven't heard?"

"No. I've been hard at it trying to track down Kathryn Nolan for your Mom. I've maybe slept four hours the past few nights let alone had time for socializing."

"You and Ma are so much alike. When you have something to do, you're full speed ahead until you're finished. Would you like me to make you coffee?" Henry pointed to the Keurig.

"No thanks, Kid. Water is fine." Henry opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle, and tossed it to Emma who eyed it suspiciously. _Young Artesian Water_. What does young artesian water even mean? Thinking it wise not to scoff at the pretentious water, Emma turned her attention back to Henry. The two pulled up bar stools side by side. Turning her body slightly inward to face her son, Emma asked, "So what is the news?"

Henry eyed the door to the kitchen before answering barely above a whisper: "Robin and Zelena eloped today."

"What the… Are you serious right now? He and your mom only JUST ended things like… a week and a half ago!"

"A week and two days ago, if we are being technical. And I am dead serious. Robin asked Mom to watch the kids for a couple of hours. Roland hasn't done well with their break up, so Mom couldn't say no even if it meant keeping Spawn too."

"Spawn?"

"Of Satan…" Emma laughed. Zelena and Robin's daughter fit the title to a T. "So she was expecting Robin to come back and pick the kids up around two o'clock, and we he did, Zelena was with him. You can imagine how the rest went down—Zelena's boastful hubris kicked in."

"And Regina's Evil Queen kicked in? Right?" Emma interrupted.

"Actually. Not at all. Like, at all, at all. Her face never faltered. She congratulated them, told them when Spawn was last fed and changed. Then she hugged and kissed Roland goodbye, and said she would see her favorite _nephew_ —she added the extra emphasis to that word—again soon."

"And just like that they left? So where is your mom?"

"Well, she left, she said something about taking flowers to the mausoleum. She was gone for about three hours. She came home, ran a bath, and now we are here." As if on cue, Regina walked through the kitchen door. She walked in with her usual, regal demeanor. Her disposition contrasted sharply with her attire. She was in her silky robe that fell a little bit above her knees, and Emma was pretty sure that robe cost more than her signature leather jacket. Regina was without make up, and the ends of her hair were wet.

"Henry. Why didn't you tell me we had company?" Regina made an attempt to show a little modesty. But then she figured the damage is done, and it _is_ only Emma, who she saw in her underwear only after knowing her a few short hours. This moment was probably not the last they would see each other in less than regular daily attire, and at that moment, Regina found comfort in the thought.

Yes, Emma was a thorn in the side, especially during her Dark One days. But Emma was a thorn in the side that Regina had grown accustomed to having. She was part of the Mills' family structure. Though Regina would never breathe a word of it to Emma or Henry, Emma was the final straw between herself and Robin, who didn't see it fair that Emma spent so much time with Regina and Henry while the mother of _his_ child, Zelena, was often cast out. Though in retrospect, there may have been more to it since Robin had wasted no time marrying Zelena after their final discussion of parenting roles. But now was not the time to continue thinking about _that_ —so Regina reached up and applied pressure to the area between the bridge of her nose and her brow and counted backward from five.

"Well, I am going to go back upstairs to my game. I think Emma really wanted to see you anyway, Mom."

"No need to rush off, Kid. But I'll come see you and say goodbye before I leave." Emma fist bumped Henry on his way out of the kitchen.

"So, Emma. You wanted to see me?" Regina asked as she made her way over to her wine rack and selected a bottle. She reached into a cabinet and got down two glasses. Emma made a conscious effort to avert her eyes from the skin on the back of Regina's legs that was newly revealed from beneath the robe as the brunette reached for the wine glasses. But Emma had failed miserably, enjoying the sneak peak of the area just below Regina's bottom. Emma regained her composure as Regina retrieved her corkscrew from a drawer and went to work. She didn't bother to ask Emma if she wanted wine; she knew Emma would decline—Emma was visibly tired, but she poured it anyway. Regina handed both glasses to Emma. "Go to the den, I will meet you there. I'll only be a minute."

Emma did as she was told. She went to the den, and without being asked, opened a drawer of an end table, pulled out two coasters, and placed the wine glasses on the coasters. Even though the wine was room temperature and there was no chance of leaving condensation rings, Emma watched Regina enough times to know that the coasters were a must.

While Emma continued to wait, she pulled out her phone, opened Pages, and opened the file on Kathryn that she created and saved to iCloud. She began reviewing the facts, and rehearsing in her mind how she would present her plan to Regina. She heard the sounds of Regina's footsteps approaching, and she looked up to see Regina walking toward her with the bottle of wine she opened in the kitchen. Emma's gaze was greeted by dark-wash jeans, a black t-shirt, and flats. Regina's casual wear always baffled Emma. If the roles had been reversed, Emma dared say that she would _not_ have made the effort to change into jeans and shirt: joggers and a camisole it would most likely be.

But for Regina, this was letting her guard down. No make up on her face. Hair now pulled back in a loose ponytail. Honestly, Emma had no clue that Regina even owned jeans and a t-shirt until after she had been around for almost two years. Only recently had _anyone_ besides Henry seen her like this.

Regina sat the bottle of wine down on the table between the two glasses and sat at the opposite end of the couch from Emma. She crossed her legs elegantly and angled herself toward the blonde. "Look, Emma, if you're here about—"

Emma cut Regina off before she could go any further "Kathryn. I am here about Kathryn." When Kathryn's name fell off of Emma's lips instead of Robin or Zelena's, Regina's eye brows shot up in surprise. As soon as they did, though, they fell back into a different expression one of interest. Regina relaxed. "I honestly didn't even know about—the other—until Henry told me. If you want to talk about that, you know I'll listen. But I am here about Kathryn." When Regina first met Emma, and even when she really started letting her into her life, Regina was made uncomfortable by Emma's thoughtfulness and level of care. To be completely honest, it scared the daylights out of her. Sometimes it still does.

Initially, on hearing Emma's words, the only word that Regina could form was "Emma." But rather than letting that fall from her lips, she reached for her wine glass and took a sip. After that one sip, the mayor was all business. "Then let's switch gears for now. What do you know?"

"Kathryn is a law student at Harvard. She's living in Cambridge and appears to be engaged to a man possibly named Royce." Emma said the name Royce with a bit of questioning in her tone but continued, "She recently adopted a golden retriever, and she is training for a half marathon coming up at the end of the year."

"Well done Emma. Have you attempted to make contact with her?"

"No. I thought that might not be a good idea considering she probably has no memory of this place. And to be honest, having been in her position—twice— this place sounds ridiculous."

Regina laughed. "For once, you're not being an idiot. What do you suggest we do?"

"Well, what I _suggest_ we do, might require some help. And we may not be able to do it until we actually get the portal open. I'm not sure. But when Killian came to New York to bring me and Henry back, he gave me a potion. The same one that Leroy used on Mr. Clark. And that Gold used on Belle—"

Emma was cut off, "Let's get to the point, this vial's contents are depleted."

"Right. And the last time we tried to recreate the potion—"

Regina cut Emma off again, "It was destroyed by my sister."

"Right. So where does that leave us?"

"Well, it leaves us further along than where we began. There are different kinds of memory potions. The one I made before is the quickest, but I used the last of some of the ingredients in the brew that Zelena sabotaged. I know of one that takes 18 weeks. I will have to reference a book, but I believe that I will have everything I need for it."

"Want to check?" Emma raised her brow in question.

"Sure. I'll only be a few moments." Regina took another sip of wine, sat her glass down and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Emma, against her better judgement, took two long sips of her wine; she knew that she was running on little sleep. The wine would only exacerbate her exhaustion. But she didn't let the fact that Regina brought the bottle to the den go unnoticed. She had planned on talking and unloading. Emma planned to listen. She planned to entertain Regina, if that was what she wanted. Judging by the scene in front of her, she knew that may not, in fact, be what Regina wanted, but it was what Regina needed.

After several minutes passed, Emma went up the stairs to Henry's room. She knocked quietly to get his attention before entering. She heard him speak into his headset, "Give me a minute guys. Parent present. I'm gonna keep playing but I need to mute the mic. I can still hear you though." Then he reached up, pushed a button on the headset. "You think Mom's okay?"

"She will be Henry. We haven't talked about that. I really just came to talk to her about Kathryn. With the plan to go back to the Enchanted Forest, we are having to account for everyone. We found Kathryn, but I needed your mom's help to track her down."

"Oh. Okay."

"Yeah. I think your mom wants to talk though."

"About Robin?"

"Yeah. She assumed that's why I came over."

"Oh."

"Look, if she does talk to me, don't ask a lot of questions. I don't want to lie to you or withhold any truths, but I need to maintain her confidence. She needs that right now."

"Yeah. I get that. Kind of like when I talk to you about girls and stuff."

"Right. But don't worry about her. She's going to be fine."

"I trust you."

"Okay. Get back to your recon there."

"Alright." Henry pressed the button on his headset again, and as Emma turned away she heard him say, "I heard all of that you dick. Besides it was Emma." While Emma knew she should probably scold him for his language, she figured he got enough of that from Regina. Which in turn meant his buddies gave him a hard time about his good-boy image. If calling his buddies 'dicks' was the worst thing that he says or does, he was going to turn out just fine.

When Emma returned to the den, she found that she was still alone. So she sat back down. Sipped her wine, and checked her phone. She saw that she received a text from Regina while she was talking to Henry. _I had to go to the Lair. I think Mal may have the book I am looking for._ Emma chuckled. Not just because of Regina's use of her term for Mal and Lily's home, but Emma also chuckled because Regina's texts are something that had taken some getting used to. Always perfectly punctuated, always grammatically sound, and never any 'colloquial nonsense.' No, there was never any mistaking Regina's texts.

Knowing Mal, and her tendencies to retain Regina for longer than necessary, Emma slid her boots off, tucked her legs underneath her and relaxed into the pillows on the sofa. This was not something she had done before, so she hoped it was in accordance with Regina's rules… And that thought is where Emma drifted off. She was awakened forty minutes after receiving the text from Regina by the feeling of a blanket being laid over her body. The room was dark, but she could make out the shadowed figure putting the blanket over her, ensuring her feet were adequately covered. Her sleep-addled brain could only register one thought, 'not Henry.'

"I am sorry Emma, I didn't mean to wake you. You looked tired earlier. I thought I would just let you sleep."

Emma tried to open her tired eyes, but was unable to for more than a second. She mumbled in her sleepy voice, "It's okay. Did you find what you needed? Want to finish our talk?"

"Yes I did. Just get some sleep sleep for now. We can talk over breakfast. I put any items you may need in the half-bath down here." Regina leaned down to pick up the wine glasses and bottle, but as she did, she couldn't resist pushing a stray lock of blonde hair off of Emma's forehead.

"Thanks R'gina," Emma muttered as she drifted back to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma was awake around her normal hour— early. She heard a shower running upstairs and she smelled the faint scent of coffee in the air. Regina must be up. In the shower. Nak—Emma stopped that train of thought dead it its tracks and rubbed her eyes. She made her way to the half-bath to freshen up. When she emerged minutes later, something upstairs caught her eye—Regina's hair and body were both wrapped in towels as she went from the bathroom to her bedroom.

Emma often wondered why Regina didn't just have a shower added on to her ensuite. Lord knows she had the money and space for such a project. Some things were just not worth worrying over that much, especially in this moment, when Emma was able to watch Regina make the trek from the bathroom to her room.

Normally Emma would be on her way to the gym for her daily workout at this time in the morning, but she didn't have her gym clothes and wasn't sure if she had the energy or the desire to magically change her outfit. So she vowed to herself that she would go that evening. After promising herself that much, she went for cabinet where Regina kept her mugs. Emma scanned them all, and realizing they were all a part of a matching set, she grabbed one from the front row. She also noticed that there wasn't another out of place, so she set down a second mug and filled them both with the coffee from the drip brewer, which Regina had apparently opted to use instead of the single-cup brewer. After putting the pot back on the hotplate, Emma walked to the fridge, looked to see if Regina kept half & half. Knowing Regina did not take cream in her coffee, she figured the pursuit would be in vain. Not entirely incorrect, Emma did not find half & half, but she did find a container of powdered non-dairy cream. She remembered the last time she had coffee at Regina's: "I don't take it, but I keep some in the fridge for company; the fridge helps with the freshness."

Emma took both mugs to the breakfast bar and pulled out a stool. The house was quiet except the clicking of Regina's heels upstairs. After several minutes, she heard the bathroom door close and the shower turn on. Henry's up. Emma tentatively brought her coffee toward her mouth, but feeling the heat, she thought better of it, and decided to go get her phone and check her email instead. When she was sitting at the bar again, phone in hand, she saw that she had a text from Mary Margaret who was checking in for the first time that day. She also had a text from Robin asking what their team needed to be focused on for the day. Which, if she was being honest, really annoyed Emma more than it normally would, but she chocked it up to the fact that it was barely 5:30am when he sent it, and while she had indeed been awake when the text was received, she thought work-related texts were only appropriate between the hours of 7am and 6pm. She replied to Mary Margaret, but not to Robin. He could wait.

She sat her phone down and took her first sip of coffee: still a little too hot, but tolerable. It was then she heard heels make their way across the hall and to the staircase. About that time, the bathroom door opened and Henry's voice call out, "Mom?"

"What is it, Henry?"

"What time did Ma leave last night?" Regina glanced at her son with a look of confusion. "She never came up and said goodbye. She said she would before she left, so I just wondered. . ."

"Oh. She didn't come and say goodbye because she never left." It was Henry's turn to look confused. He cautiously glanced behind his mother toward her room. While he wasn't opposed to the idea of his two mothers sharing a room, he was hoping he wasn't about to be scarred for life. Following Henry's line of vision, Regina's eyes widened and she quickly explained, "While Emma and I were talking, I had to go get a book for reference. When I got home, Emma had fallen asleep on the sofa in the den. Rather than waking her I let her sleep."

Henry narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "You mean you actually let someone sleep on the couch? You didn't just magically send her home?"

Regina pondered her son's observation. Why _hadn't_ she just sent Emma home? Emma would have been none the wiser until the next morning. The former queen already knew the answer, but rather than dealing with her thoughts any further, Regina shook her head and said, "We didn't get to finish our business last night. I figured if she stayed here, then we could get an earlier start today."

Henry and Regina were both satisfied with this answer, so he went to finish getting ready in his room, and Regina turned and continued making her way downstairs. She walked into the kitchen where she was greeted by a smile from Emma, who gestured toward the cup of coffee. Regina took the cup and slid into the barstool next to Emma, "Good morning, Emma. How did you sleep?"

"Like a rock. Best sleep in a while."

"Good. You looked like you needed it."

"Thanks—Said no one ever." Regina smirked behind her coffee cup, which didn't go unnoticed by the blonde. "How about you?"

"I had a decent night's rest," Regina responded. "I got a new mattress last week, and I don't think I am used to it yet, but I am adapting."

"New mattress?"

"Yes. I had to get rid of the old one."

"Didn't you just get that _old_ mattress? Like, what, a year ago? I distinctly remember helping Henry get it up those stairs." Emma was also a little hurt that Regina and Henry didn't ask her to help this time, but she'd never admit it.

"I know. But Robin was a rough sleeper. He wallowed out the whole side he slept on. It had to go."

Realization hit Emma. There was probably no way that Robin could have worn out the mattress, especially since he didn't even live with Regina. He only stayed over a few times a week, if that. But understanding Regina's need to cleanse herself of Robin after their breakup, she played along: "Oh, I bet! Pillow top mattresses are a blessing, but that's their downfall. They aren't really flip-able, so they do wear out easier and quicker. Especially if someone is a rough sleeper."

Rather than telling Emma that 'flip-able' wasn't a word, Regina nodded and said, "Exactly," signaling that further discussion of the subject was officially off the table.

Emma quickly changed the subject. "So what did you find in the book you picked up last night?"

"I found that I do in fact have everything I need for the memory potion, and it will take sixteen weeks. Not eighteen as I originally thought. Brew time is adjusted to altitude. Last time I used this potion, I was in the Enchanted Forest, and we were at a higher point of elevation than Storybrooke is."

"Well, that's good, right? Two weeks sooner."

"Yes." Regina responded, but she looked lost in thought.

Emma leaned in a bumped her shoulder with Regina's. "Hey, where did you go?"

"Don't be foolish Emma, I am right here."

"No, your mind just drifted. Did something else happen last night?"

"No."

"Okay." Emma and Regina were periodically sipping their coffee throughout the conversation, so Emma got up, pulled the coffee pot off of the machine and warmed up both of their cups.

"Thank you Emma."

"You're welcome," the blonde replied as she sat back down on her barstool. "I overheard Henry asking you what time I left. Was he upset?"

"At first he was a little unsettled. After I told him that you slept here, he was fine."

"I feel guilty. I don't like to let him down."

"Well, you didn't. You told him you would see him before you left. You didn't leave. You have no reason to feel guilty. If there is one thing you are, it is a woman of your word."

"I am glad you see that."

"Me too." The two held eye contact as these words were exchanged. Regina broke it, though, and looked pensively at her mug of coffee. "Emma, something did happen last night."

"You don't have to talk about it."

"I do. When I was at the Lair, Lily said something."

Emma grinned at Regina's use of their term—their inside joke. "There is no telling what she said, but only half of it is probably true if it was about me."

"It wasn't about you per se." Emma thought to herself, 'Oh here we go.' But she just looked at Regina as if to say, 'I am all ears.'

"Mal was asking me about my idiot sister's latest move." Emma nodded. "And Lily walked in, and eventually pried her way into the conversation."

"Oh yeah? What kind of advice did she charm you with?"

"Well, she more or less told me, as did Mal, that I am better off with out Robin, which judging by his imbecilic, seemingly rash decision, I completely agree. And then Lily told me that I had a better option waiting."

"And what option is that?" Emma scoffed. Because she had often contemplated the lack of dating variety in Storybrooke—you have a few princes or princesses and knights; there are dwarves, mythical creatures, and peasants; you have the occasional pirate, lost boy, or thief; and then there were the merry men, of which Robin was obviously the top pick, and now he is off the market.

"Well, she suggested that I was overlooking the best thing for me, which was, or is, rather, right in front of me."

Something suddenly clicked with Emma. "Oh my god! Is she suggesting that you date Mal?!" Emma looked horrified. Sure, Mal had that hot rocker mom look going on. But she was not the kind of woman a queen—a mayor—should date. Hook up with—maybe. But then again, who else _should_ a former evil queen queen or a hard-ass mayor date besides a powerful sorceress dragon? A White knight? A sheriff? A princess? A savior, maybe? No way. Emma came to a more obvious realization. She dropped her voice to a whisper, "Regina, I didn't know you were into that. _Are_ you into that?" Now, Emma herself wasn't sure if she was feeling shock, jealousy, or something else all together.

"Emma. Breathe. If by 'that' you mean women. Then yes. I have been 'into that' in the past. Look around you. The Enchanted Forest only had so much variety. Why limit myself so strictly? Is that a problem?"

"No. I mean, I am shocked, because it's you. And you're so, you. But I get it. Can't say I haven't been there and done that."

"Good, because I would hate to call out your hypocrisy."

"My hypocrisy?"

"Ruby Lucas."

Emma giggled and blushed, "Oh. You knew about that?"

"Darling, the whole town knew about that."

"How?"

"Well, I mean, for starters, she followed you around like a lost puppy." Emma cut Regina a scolding look. "I didn't mean that offensively. And Billy sulked around because she wouldn't give him the time of day. He tried to check my tire pressure with the air compressor. Plus she pretty much told Mrs. Lucas that you were her, what was the word, lemur, maybe, in the middle of the diner."

By this point, Emma's face and neck were flushed with embarrassment. "She called me a lemur?"

"Yes. I initially thought she was referring to your, um, abilities, so I went back to my office and watched several videos online of lemurs. I was impressed, really, Miss Swan. They are quite agile creatures." At this point, Regina was thoroughly enjoying watching Emma's discomfort. "But I was sorely disappointed to find out that she was simply referring to the fact that August traveled and saw real lemurs, and she wished to do the same. You went, in my eyes from being potential wild hookup to Ruby's consolation." Regina was grinning wickedly at Emma.

Emma's only response was, "I am never anyone's consolation. Just so you know."

Thankfully Henry walked into the kitchen about that time. He went directly to the cabinet, reached for a mug, then filled it with coffee. He turned around, and faced his mothers while leaned up against the counter. "I have been to Camelot, Neverland, and Purgatory. My Mom was the Evil Queen. My Ma was the Dark One. Needless to say, I have seen some weird shi— stuff." Henry received a glare from his Mom for his almost-slip. She didn't hold it long, seeing after only a moment Henry's face was completely red, her point was made. "But, I have to say, this is the weirdest thing that I have ever seen." Henry gestured to Emma and Regina. Both of his mothers smiled at him.

Regina spoke up, "We could just go back to how things used to be. If this is too much for you, Henry."

"I just said it was weird. I never said I didn't like it."

Emma spoke up next, "Good. Because I really am getting too old to run from your Mom's fireballs. The quiet civility is kind of nice."

Henry glanced around the kitchen the at the bar. "Not to be rude, Mom, but what is for breakfast? I'm starving!"

Regina rolled her eyes at her son—her growing-up-way-too-fast teenage son. "Well, I promised Emma breakfast this morning, so I thought maybe we could leave a little early and eat at Granny's. If that is okay with you."

"Are you kidding? That is fine with me."

"Then it's settled. Let's finish our coffee, and head out. Make sure to grab your books and things, Henry. I don't have time to bring any forgotten items. I'm going to pack up your lunch."

Regina finished her coffee and put her mug in the sink. Henry followed suit. "Emma, will you go crank my car. Then, will you go to my study and get the book sitting in the middle of my desk. The brown, leather bound one. Meet me at my car with the book. Henry and I shouldn't be more than five minutes."

Emma nodded and mimicked Henry and Regina's action of placing her empty mug in the kitchen sink. "Anything else? Would you like for me to wash these?"

"I don't think so." Regina flicked her wrist and the mugs were gone and the coffee pot was empty and clean. Now, she was busy putting together items for Henry's lunch, most of which were prepared the night before. Regina's selective use of magic baffled Emma. She uses it to wash dishes but not to pack a lunch and gather her things for the day. Or to send Henry's things to the school when he forgets them. Emma commends Regina's urge to maintain a sense of reality-driven normalcy in her everyday tasks.

Emma, lost in her thoughts, found herself retrieving Regina's keys in addition to her own from the table next to the door and heading out to crank both vehicles. After doing so, she followed Regina's orders and went to the study. She saw the book that Regina told her to get. Next to it was another one; an intriguing one. A book she couldn't resist the urge to thumb through. She thought back to Regina's directions: _Go to my study and get the book sitting in the middle of my desk. The brown, leather bound one. Come to my car and bring that book with you_. Regina had not told her not to touch the other book. And surely if it was dangerous or forbidden she would have told her not to touch it. But then again, reverse psychology generally worked wonders on Emma. Maybe Regina hadn't mentioned the book because she knew that mentioning it would bring Emma's attention to it if it was dangerous or forbidden.

Either way, Emma was doomed, and her curiosity was getting the better of her. The book was a deep, scarlet color and had what appeared to be a black, lace overlay. Unable to resist the urge any longer, Emma picked up the book and held it in her hands. The overlay was indeed lace. She felt it slip against the scarlet leather beneath it. There was nothing written on the cover or the spine of the book, so Emma was forced to open it. When she did, nothing happened. Breathing a sigh of relief, she flipped to the title page. She instantly recognized that the title of the book wasn't in Elvish like other volumes of magic she'd seen. _Landica Cunnus Futuere_. It was a language that she could somewhat recognize, the word c _unnus_ suggested that the text was Latin—among other things. The byline was the next thing that caught Emma's eye: Maleficent Draeke.

This was a book, probably of spells, written by none other than Mal? Impressive. Emma went to put the book down, but on second thought, she pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the title page. 'I'll google these terms later.' She thought to herself. As Emma took the picture, she lost her grip on the text, and it began to fall. She quickly corrected herself and steadied the book but not before a slip of paper fell from between the pages. The long, flowing penmanship matched that of the title page and read "Regina: Open you eyes to what's in front of you and at least consider what I said. - M." Emma read the words and reread the words. Then she shrugged and grabbed the book she was intended to retrieve in the first place. Her path met Regina's at the front door. Emma opened it and walked out, Regina not too far behind. Seeing that Henry was already in the car, Regina reached behind her and locked the door then looked to Emma, "Shall we?"

Emma made her way to the yellow bug. "Sure. I will see you there?"

"No, Emma. You're coming with me."

"Okay…"

"There is no sense in taking two cars to the same places. Plus, I need to ensure I have your undivided attention for a few hours."

"Right." Emma turned off her car's ignition and moved toward the passenger's side of Regina's car and opened the door.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Regina smirked.

"What?"

"I don't drive _you_. You drive _me_. Is that understood? You have a lot to learn about how to act toward a queen before you go back to the Forest. At least you opened the door." Regina smirked and gracefully sat down in her 'carriage' as she put Emma in her place.

"Seriously? You could ask me to drive! Or you could _tell_ me to drive. You don't have to insult me. Besides, who said anything about going to the Enchanted Forest?" Emma made her way around to the driver's side and opened the door.

At these words, Henry's head popped up from the book he was reading. "You're not going back?" Henry's disappointment was evident.

Emma sat down and looked from Regina to Henry. "You two are?"

Regina sighed, "We haven't made any final decisions. Henry is in favor. I have my reservations. Let's drop this for now. This is something we need to discuss in detail as a family—with David and Mary Margaret present. And since they will not be joining us this morning, now is clearly not the time." The finality in Regina's tone suggested that there was no room for further discussion from anyone in the car.

As Emma backed Regina's car down the drive, an awkward silence settled between the three, and after shifting the car from reverse into drive, Emma gladly broke it. "Can I just say how ready I am for pancakes?"

Henry quickly picked up on the cue, "Oh my gosh, yes! Granny's are the best."

Regina piped in while checking her email on her phone. "I hate to break it to you Henry, but Granny's pancakes are rubbish. The pancakes you are referring to are actually Ruby's."

Emma looked at Regina questioningly, and Emma and Henry simultaneously responded, "What?"

While replying to an email, Regina answered with disinterest, "Yes. When Storybrooke was first," Regina paused, looking for the right word. "Founded, Mrs. Lucas refused to let Ruby do anything except serve customers. Ruby kept telling her, though, that the customers hated the pancakes. She kept telling her they were too 'egg-y,' which honestly was not a lie. Anyway, Ruby kept on until one morning, Mrs. Lucas finally had enough and told her if she could do it better, then have at it. Mrs. Lucas kept watch on the dining room that morning, and Ruby, allegedly, went to work toying with ratios of flour, baking soda, baking powder, and all until she perfected the recipe. I happened to be in for lunch when Ruby told Granny that her product was complete. Mrs. Lucas told Ruby is she was so sure of her work to let me be the first to try it. Because I made the mistake once of ordering Granny's pancakes, and believe me, they were terrible, and I had no problem telling them as much." Regina paused and looked up from her email, "So, I tried Ruby's work. And it was mind blowing." Regina slyly arched an eye brown and looked at Emma. When she met the green eyes of her friend, she smirked and looked back down at her phone.

Henry, oblivious to the subtext of his mother's story, cocked his head to the side, "All the times we've eaten there, and you've never told me that."

"The opportunity hadn't presented itself until now." Regina resumed her disinterest as she typed away on her phone.

Emma's mind was reeling. Is Regina telling her that she, too, slept with Ruby? Emma was going back and forth with herself trying to decide if the pancake story was simply made up to reveal Regina's secret. After trying and trying to make sense of it, Emma, having reached a conclusion, nodded in sudden understanding, "That explains why Ruby is such a pancake pusher."

Regina rolled her eyes, "Be honest, Emma. She didn't have to push too hard to get you to order a pancake." Regina smirked once again and quickly added, "I read somewhere once that lemurs _love_ pancakes." Emma blushed but didn't respond. Henry glanced between his two mothers but didn't say anything. He was now aware that there was more going on than the conversation he was hearing. He let it go, though, because he appreciated their interaction.


	3. Chapter 3

Soon, the three were at Granny's and seated in a corner booth. After placing their orders and receiving their drinks from their server, who Emma thanked the gods wasn't Ruby, the three settled into what would appear to any unfamiliar onlooker as a fairly common routine—Emma and Henry sitting side by side in playful banter. Regina across the table, watching with a sense of wonder and amusement. Since the diner wasn't particularly crowded, their food arrived shortly after ordering.

Emma went to work cutting her pancake. Usually, she would cut it as she ate, but their server only brought two knives to the table. Regina claimed one to spread apple butter on her dry, wheat toast. Rather than being a bother and asking for another knife, Emma made quick work of cutting her pancake. She then passed the knife over to Henry, who was already drowning his breakfast with syrup.

Regina eyed her fruit, oatmeal, and toast with a look that held traces of sadness and contempt, but just as quickly as the look crossed her face, she noticed how much syrup her son was using and snatched the bottle from his grasp. She sat it on the left-hand side of Emma's food, out of Henry's reach. Emma then took the bottle and put a little syrup on one side of her plate. Regina watched, and inwardly praised Emma's careful moderation. Emma was now in her thirties, and Regina was sure that the blonde's lightening-fast metabolism would soon begin to taper off.

The conversation quickly turned to Henry. Regina quizzed him on his academic performance. After she was satisfied, she questioned him regarding the level of completion of his homework, the three moved to other topics. Emma and Henry spoke of upcoming releases of video games, Regina questioned rating and content of said games. The talk was comfortable and familiar. As the breakfast continued, Emma noticed that her pancake (and some of her eggs and bacon) were disappearing faster than she could account for. She assumed that she was eating unconsciously because of the ongoing conversation. She placed her fork next to her plate, deciding to let her food settle and see just how quickly she scarfed down her food while engaged in conversation.

After finally deciding that she wasn't obliviously overeating, Emma was ready to continue, she looked at her plate. Just as she looked at it, she noticed that from across the table, a fork, laden with pancake, retreated toward a plate with a mostly full bowl of oatmeal and a half eaten order of toast. Emma also noticed traces of eggs next to the toast. Emma looked from Regina's plate up to Regina, who was delicately savoring the stolen morsel while still listening to her son, unaware that she was caught. Deciding that Regina's transgression was forgivable if not adorable, Emma simply looked away toward the clock that hung behind the bar. "Henry! Finish up, you've got five minutes until the bus arrives."

Henry glanced at the clock, and shoveled his last few bites of pancake and bacon into his mouth and washed the half-chewed food down with what remained of his milk. Regina glared disgustedly at her son, "You're going to choke. You had five minutes to finish and walk outside. There was no need in behaving like an animal."

Emma smirked, as Ruby had chosen that time to walk up and greet the family. She made a low humming sound that most would interpret as a growl from the werwolf.

Regina froze, realizing her misstep. She looked to the server, "I apologize."

"Did Hell just freeze over?" Ruby directed her question at Emma and Henry then continued, turning to Regina, "Since that was an apology, I won't point out the obvious: even animals can have more refined table manners than your son just displayed." Henry's ears turned red upon being called out by the leggy server.

Emma, who was always uncomfortable by the tension between Ruby and Regina more so now that she knows that Regina and Ruby might have slept together at some point during the curse, gave Regina and then Ruby a warning look. "Well, Regina has apologized, and even though you said you weren't going to—even though you did—point out Henry's momentary faltering in manners, we can move on. How's your morning been?" Emma slid from the booth and let Henry stand.

"I've had worse. How about you guys? Enjoying some QT as a family, no?" Ruby pulled playfully at one of Henry's ears that was now returning to its normal tone, making it obvious the question was directed at him and no one else.

"Yes, ma'am. I have to be going now, though. The bus should be here any minute."

"Not so fast," Ruby warned holding out a paper carryout bag. "I think your lady friend is overdue a scone." Upon this revelation in Henry's love life, Regina's eyes widened, but she decided to let the question go for now; she tucked the information away for later.

"Thanks, Ruby." Henry's ears returned to the bright red color they had been just moments before. Only this time, they were matched by his cheeks. He grabbed the bag and made his way to the door and to the corner bus stop.

As soon as he walked out the door, Regina cut her eyes to Ruby. "So, Miss Lucas, how long have a I been unknowingly paying for pastries for my son's love interest?"

"You haven't been. Emma has."

It was Emma's turn to cut her eyes to Ruby. "What?"

"Well, you told us not long after you first moved here to let Henry get what he wanted, and you would pick up the tab on your next time in." Ruby curtly stated. "So don't blame me that you don't look at your ticket and realize that your son doesn't eat scones."

Emma shrugged, "Touché. I haven't noticed a difference on my bill, so I guess in the end it doesn't matter."

Regina looked at Emma, "Miss Swan," Emma winced at Regina's use of formalities. "It does matter. You mean to tell me you went behind my back all these years and allowed my son the freedom to defy me by pumping him full of sugar whenever he had the notion?"

"Oh, _your_ son, now? Regina, you knew that! I told you about this years ago! Besides, when I actually paid attention to what he ate," Emma paused to add emphasis to her next phase, "because I knew you would flip your shit over too many sweets," Emma paused again to gage Regina's facial expression, "he never even ordered sweets. It was a grilled cheese or order of fries here and there."

Ignoring Emma's jab about possessive pronouns, Regina replied, "Oh. Washed down with soda probably. No big deal," and she snorted mockingly at Emma's lackadaisical attitude.

Ruby looked on in amusement. Anytime she could cause the vein on the mayor's forehead to pop, she considered the day to be a success. Considering it was only 7:28 AM and Regina's face was flushed _and_ the vein was popping, the server's day was already off to a great start. But she quickly realized that Regina's frustration was falling on the shoulders of her blonde friend and it seemed to be taking a serious turn, so she chimed in, "Really, Regina. Your son is responsible, and he follows your rules regarding diet about eighty five percent of the time. I for one have never served him a soda when he wasn't with you because I know how you feel about that. Anyway, what's the difference in a soda and the coffee you've been letting him drink since he was a tiny tot?"

"Tiny tot?" Regina spat the term of endearment out like it was poison. "A six year old is hardly a _tot_. And the difference, if it is any of your concern, Miss Lucas, is that a cup of black coffee, according to holistic medical studies, helps sufferers from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder just as well as prescription medications. So rather than arguing with my son about swallowing a pill, I gave him coffee and restricted his sugar intake. And sugar intake, if you'll recall, is what began this discussion in the first place!"

Emma was just as surprised as Ruby by Regina's response, but then again, why? She knew that Regina was always looking out for their son in every way possible. Alternatives to medication should have been no different. And in the moment, Emma had a new appreciation for the fact that out of all the adoptive mothers in the world that Henry could have been placed with, he got Regina. Emma's heart felt as if it might burst with happiness.

"Now, Miss Lucas, while we appreciate your cordiality in greeting us this morning, Emma and I have business to attend to."

"Of course, Mayor Mills. Are you finished eating? If you are I can take these plates out of your way."

"Even if we weren't finished, after all of your senseless chatter, surely our food is cold. I am finished. Emma?"

"I'm good, Ruby. Thanks." Emma smiled at Ruby as she stacked and handed the brunette their plates. Emma then made her way to the counter where Dorothy stood waiting behind the register. Regina, who had planned to pay for breakfast, realized that she was too late. Rather than arguing about it, she let it go. The two left the restaurant and set out to Regina's vault to begin brewing their concoction that would ultimately, hopefully, bring Kathryn's memories back.

It was now nearing mid-morning, and Emma and Regina were watching their potion closely, checking temperatures and adding ingredients, ensuring success.

"Regina?"

"Yes, dear?" Exasperation was evident in Regina's tone.

"We have a conversation still on the table from this morning. Well, technically I guess it is on the bar. But figuratively, we tabled it."

Regina, only half listening, looked up from a beaker of glowing orange goo. "What are you on about now, Emma?" She turned her attention back to the beaker she was holding. She swirled the substance around and, satisfied with the result, sat it down.

Emma nervously twirled a glass stirrer over her index and middle fingers, unsure of what to do with herself at this point since Regina had now completely taken over the potion. "You were telling me who Lily said was right in front of you that you were not considering when it comes to dating."

"Oh, I did tell you. Obviously you weren't listening." Regina was being curt in an attempt to leave no room for further conversation. But as always, Emma was either too dense to sense Regina didn't want to talk about it, or she was too stubborn to let the topic go.

"Um, I'm pretty sure you didn't. I just asked if it was Mal, since she would have been right in front of you, or at least around you. Unless…" Emma trailed off, but when she picked up again, her voice sounded as though she was ready for a fight. "Regina, did Lily hit on you?"

"No, Emma, she didn't." Regina said exhaustedly. "Besides. I told you who it was before you ever suggested it was Mal. And for what it's worth, the Mal ship set sail years ago. And I chose to stay on the dry land."

"Regina, you might have been thinking it, but you never told me. I swear." Emma was almost pleading. Almost.

"I did, Emma. Let's replay the conversation, shall we?" Without waiting for a response, Regina began again. "What did you say when I told you Lily butted in to the conversation Mal and I were having?"

Emma thought very hard. "I told you if it was about me, it probably wasn't true."

"Wrong. But close enough. What did I say to that?"

"You told me that she didn't say anything about me."

"Again, wrong. _Per se_." Emma was confused at this response.

"Regina, how is it wrong, per se? How can anything be wrong per se. Stop playing games and just tell me."

"That's not what I meant." Regina was flushed and uncomfortable. Her discomfort quickly channeled into angry put-downs: "I don't know why I bother talking to you. You really are a complete idiot. Charming genes obviously aren't what they are cracked up to be. None of you seem to know when to let things go and keep your mouths shut." Upon hearing these words, Emma dropped the glass stirrer. Regina, further spurred by Emma's lack of grace, barked, "Be careful, will you? These tools are antique and _priceless_ in this world. They are genuine elven-made."

"I will not be spoken to like that." Emma shouted but then softened her voice. "We were having a good day. I am going to leave you alone and give you some space. And I'm sorry I dropped your stir-y stick."

Completely ignoring Emma's stupid 'stir-y stick' comment, Regina's tone softened to address the bigger issue. "Emma, _I'm_ sorry." She paused and sighed, "It is you."

"I know. You've reached your Emma capacity for the time being. You've made that abundantly clear." Emma took a breath and continued. "And that's fine. I get it; my personality and yours create friction. Which isn't good over extended periods of time. And we are rounding out sixteen hours now. Just ask me to go before you snap next time. I really get it." Emma picked up the stirrer from the floor and sat it down on the table before her. "Listen, I'll be back later, after you've had a chance to unwind. I can bring you lunch or something." Emma began to walk toward the staircase to leave, but Regina followed and grabbed her arm to stop her.

"No, Emma. Don't go. What I meant was Mal said that _you_ might be the best thing for me. And Lily agreed." Regina's eyes searched Emma's face for some kind of reaction, but Emma was wearing her best poker face. After waiting a moment and still finding nothing, Regina continued, "And I guess I am uncomfortable because I am still processing."

Emma finally let her face reveal some emotion, understanding. She brought the arm that Regina wasn't holding to Regina's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Oh. It wasn't about me _per se_. You did say that." Emma paused just realizing their proximity. She took a step back, but kept her hand on Regina's shoulder. "Look, Regina. They may think they know what you need, but don't take anything they say to heart. Only you know what is best for you, so don't let their opinion complicate our dynamic. We have worked hard and fought even harder to get to where we are. Don't let their opinion hinder our progress."

"You're right. Times like these are when I miss being the Evil Queen. When someone said something that made me think or feel, all I had to do was implement a little bit of torture. Now, I have to deal with problems. Well I don't have to. But I choose to."

Emma nodded her understanding. "Plus, I don't think either of us is ready to consider the possibility of a relationship. _Especially_ not with each other. We are both have wounds that are too new. Well, I am not going to suggest how you feel, but I know I am not ready. Not after losing Neal. . . and then Killian in such a short span of time."

Regina led Emma over to the staircase and sat her down then sat down next to her. They sat down angled toward one another so that their knees were touching. "Emma, I am sorry about that. Both of them, really. You know if you ever want to talk I am here."

"I know. And when you're ready to talk about Robin, I am here."

"I think what unsettled me most about what the scaly witch said is," Regina paused then continued reluctantly, "that I have thought about what a relationship with you might be like. I have thought about _us_."

Emma was taken aback by Regina's confession, especially since it had nothing to do with what Emma said to her. Because she didn't know what to say, she just nodded. Both fell silent. Emma was the one to break the silence first. "I guess I get it. I can't say that I have ever imagined us as an item," Emma hesitated, not wishing to reveal that she may not have imagined them as a _couple_ , but she had on many occasions, one just this morning, in fact, thought about Regina in less than innocent scenarios. "But I do like being around you. I like talking to you. I have felt drawn to you since I first met you. Even when you tried to kill me, I couldn't leave you alone."

"Did I apologize for that?" Regina genuinely couldn't remember if she ever asked the blonde for forgiveness.

Emma thought about the question then replied, "I don't remember, but even if you didn't, I have forgiven are past that."

"Thank you." Emma met Regina's words with a smile that seemed to say, 'It's nothing.' Then Regina spoke, "Being confronted by my feelings was a long time coming."

"Feelings?"

"The hate, the jealousy, the frustration, the animosity. The nervousness, the butterflies, the adoration, the admiration. All of these feelings rooted in, oddly, the same place." Regina's voice was barely above a whisper.

Emma matched Regina's volume perfectly. "What are you talking about. Usually I can follow you, but this time, I need you to explain." Somewhere between sitting down on the staircase and these words, the two had joined hands. The act was innocent and comforting. Emma squeezed Regina's hand encouragingly.

"Emma, when Robin and I broke up. He wanted more than I was able to give him."

"How? You gave him all of you. Parts of yourself I didn't even know existed."

"I didn't."

"Don't say that." Emma placed her other hand on top of Regina's.

"But it is true."

"I disagree."

"I didn't give him everything. I couldn't give him everything. I was holding back part of myself for you."

"Regina," Emma's tone had a slight scold to it, and she tried to pull her hands away, not wanting her actions to be misread. Before Emma could continue, she was cut off, and the hand that she tried to pull from Regina's was held in its place.

"I swore I would never tell you or Henry this, but I am going to. You have to swear that this conversation stays right here in my vault, for better or worse."

Emma searched Regina's face before saying, "You have my word."

"Robin ended our relationship because he didn't like my relationship with you. He didn't like my insistence that you were a permanent part of my life and my family."

"He said that?"

"Yes. And also suggested that Zelena be granted the same courtesy."

"I see. But you told him that it was for Henry, right? Besides, totally not the same thing. He slept with Zelena…and well his situation is more complicated than two women simply co-parenting. I mean, they slept together!"

"He wanted me to tell him that the co-parenting was for Henry. He asked me that directly. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't answer that question to the affirmative truthfully. So I didn't answer at all."

"And just like that he left?"

"Yes."

"You didn't try to correct him? You let your 'happily ever after' slip away?"

"Emma," Regina began, but she didn't know what you say, really.

Emma became irritated and raised her voice "I mean, did you not tell him that regardless of my relationship with Henry or with you, I would still have been around? Your my mom's _stepmom_ for crying out loud! It is more complicated than just friendship and co-parenting. You're the only family my mother has left! You're, like, my step-grandmother, or something. These relationships can never just. . ." Emma trailed off searching for the right word, and hoping that she hadn't been repetitive. She settled on, "disappear just because he doesn't like having me around!" Regina felt the color drain from her face and her stomach turn on hearing Emma's words. The former Evil Queen had just revealed her feelings for the blonde. And that those feelings were undeniable to the point of losing what, at the time, seemed like her one chance at a happy ending. Emma took notice, and she pulled her hands back to her own lap. "You alright there?"

Regina took a deep breath in and nodded. "I would just be forever grateful if you _never_ referred to yourself as my granddaughter again. I all but just told you out right that I have romantic feelings for you."

Emma furrowed her brow. Then her face settled into a shit-eating grin. "Yeah, my bad." She then pulled out her cell phone and fired off a quick text.

"What are you doing?"

"Sorry, I just sent Mary Margaret and Ruby a text. They each owe me $20." Regina's eyes widened in either shock or outrage, Emma wasn't quite sure.

"Why so sudden? Surely not about what we just discussed. You said that this conversation was confidential."

Emma didn't know what to say. She knew Regina had a point, and now there would probably be consequences.

"But just out of sheer curiosity, what kind of bet did you just win?"

"Well…" Emma stretched out the word to begin her story. "Not long after I moved here. . . Come to think of it, it was right about the time that I was elected sheriff. Yes that was it because we were at the celebration at Granny's. I more or less bet Mary Margaret and Ruby that you were so damn hateful because wanted my 'hot ass' and that you would would admit as much eventually. Granted I was tipsy as hell, okay maybe I was drunk, when I said that."

"Miss Swan, stand up this instant." The words fell from Regina's mouth like venom, so Emma did as she was told immediately, figuring she was out of line and about to be kicked out.

Regina's voice maintained its stern tone, but she dropped it down an octave, "Good, Miss Swan. Now turn around."

Emma immediately caught on that Regina's tone was not completely stinging, it had a hint of something mischievous if not sexy. "Yeah, right. You're going to have to try harder than that." Emma did turn around, but she began walking toward the table where their potion was brewing. She quickly looked to move on from the conversation, "Looks like it is time for the final steps before incubation."

Regina replied dryly and completely off topic, "Oh look, a text from your mother." Regina opened the text and read it aloud, "'I WILL KILL YOU!' with an angry face thingy. I wish you'd look at who is doing the threatening these days. Innocent, victimized little Snow."

Regina closed the messaging app without replying, got up, and followed Emma. She looked at the clock then began checking the temperature on the two substances. The blonde was correct, it was time to move on with the potion. She examined the two concoctions once more just to make sure the temperatures were within the proper range. Then, she mixed them together. She put out one of the Bunsen burners and considerably reduced the size of the flame on the one that she would continue using. "By the way, _Miss Swan_ , you do have a hot ass." Regina's grin turned devilish as Emma blushed.


	4. Chapter 4

A month passed after that day in Regina's vault. A month of discoveries between Emma and Regina. Immediately following their conversation, the two spent several days awkwardly avoiding one another. Soon, though, the sheriff and the mayor became practically inseparable. Where one was, the other was sure to follow. The topic of a relationship did not come up again until one afternoon the two were in Regina's vault checking that their potion was coming along as it should. After checking the temperature and several qualities of the brew, Regina was satisfied that all was progressing accordingly. Emma, however was browsing the shelves of Regina's books. She found a book that was charcoal gray stained leather with a lilac lace overlay much like the scarlet and black one she encountered in Regina's office the previous month. Emma pulled the book out and looked at the title. This one was written in what appeared, once again, to be Latin. Emma suddenly realized she never googled the terms from the scarlet and black volume, but all things in due time. She looked at the byline. She saw that this volume too was by Maleficent Draeke.

Emma came to the realization that leather binding and lace overlay must be a signature for Mal's work. She quickly googled the latin terms and found that this particular volume contained "Vanity Potions." Needless to say, Emma was impressed by the two volumes of Mal's research and results. Now, she could easily see why Regina once sought Mal to learn from her. Emma was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Regina's voice, "What did you find, Emma?"

"Something that I assume Mal wrote. Unless there are lots of Maleficents running around in the Enchanted Forest. But the last name Draeke is kind of obvious, if it means dragon. Which, I think it does, because _draco_ is dragon in Latin, right? So the root would be the same."

"Very good, Emma." Regina looked genuinely impressed.

"Why do you look so shocked? Just because I have made poor life choices doesn't mean that I'm stupid."

"Emma, I know that. But your transcripts never suggested that you had a background in Latin."

"You've seen my transcripts?"

"Of course I have. Technically, Sheriff, you work for me."

"Oh, yeah. But I never had them sent to you."

"Remember when I had Sindey run a background check?"

"You mean the time you paid someone for my locked juvie files?"

"You call it how you see it, and I will do the same. Regardless, Emma. You finished your GED in prison. You went to a community college for a semester while you were on parole in Arizona. You also attended Florida State University for a semester while you were in Tallahassee. But, like I said, none of that suggested a background in Latin."

"Well, it's because I don't have one."

"Obviously you do. If you can recognize works and identify roots across other languages. I don't want to pry. I am just curious."

"It's silly."

"I'm still curious."

"Well, when I was in prison," Emma was cut off by a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. "You know what, Regina. Forget it. I don't talk about that part of my life with you for a reason."

"Em-ma," Regina pleaded.

"Don't 'Em-ma' me."

"Please continue your story."

"And let you, the woman who was on death row, make fun of me for serving time in juvie? No Thanks." Emma took the charcoal and lilac book and placed it back on the shelf. "I need to go anyway. I promised Henry ice cream and Smash Brothers today."

"Emma, it's 1:30. He won't be out of school until 3. Then he has tennis practice after school." As Regina spoke, Emma was making her way to the stairs.

"Maybe, but I haven't played Smash in a month. I have an image to protect."

"You're blowing me off."

"That too."

"At least you're honest," Regina mumbled to Emma as she made her way out of the vault. As a last ditch effort, Regina tenderly called out, "Please don't go." Emma stopped and looked back over her shoulder. Was Regina pleading?

"If you don't want me to go, then come with me. We are finished here anyway, right?" Regina saw Emma's words as a half victory. She picked up her things, double checked to make sure the flame brewing their potion was still strong, but not too hot. Then she followed behind Emma. The two made their way to Regina's Mercedes and left the cemetery.

When she was able to focus exclusively on the road and no longer had to make eye contact with Regina, Emma began to speak, "When I was in prison, I managed to get my hands on a copy of _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_. I read it through one time, to Henry actually, and then I read it again, this time making notes written in the margins where I looked up words I didn't know or that I was just curious about. I learned that J.K. Rowling borrowed from Latin and mythology. She used religious texts and other things to build her magical world. That's how I knew _draco_ was dragon— I loved the name Draco. I poked around with some words and saw how Latin roots and things like that work across other languages. That's how I made the connection between draco and Draeke"

Regina was unsure of what to say. She never guessed that Emma sat in prison and used her down time to annotate Harry Potter. Not wanting to wait too long to speak up though she said the first thing that came to mind: "Do you still have that copy of the book?"

"Yeah. I do. I'm not sentimental, so I don't keep many things, but I did keep that."

"I would love to see it."

"Why?"

"Well, to be honest I would love to see the first book that was read to Henry. And I would love to see your annotations as well. To have a glimpse into your life at that time." Emma took an unexpected, but not abrupt right hand turn toward her house that she now shared with David, Mary Margaret, and Baby Neal. "Where are you going?"

"You said you wanted to see the book. I figure I might as well give it to you now."

"Very well then. To the Charming home we go." Regina had a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"Regina?"

"Yes, Dear?" Regina started out the window, probably checking building ordinance compliance in Emma's neighborhood.

"Do you think it is weird that I asked my parents to move in with me?"

Regina looked away from the window and toward Emma, who was looking between the road and Regina. She had a recognizable desire for acceptance. Regina sighed, "Emma, given your circumstances, I think it is perfectly acceptable that you live with your parents. Besides, if we were in the Enchanted Forest, you and your arranged spouse would most likely still be living in the castle with your parents. Things are different in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke, look at Ruby. She lives at the tavern with Granny." Emma chucked, and Regina asked, "What is it?"

"You said tavern."

"You know what I mean, Emma. The diner. The bed and breakfast."

"I've never heard you slip into Fairy talk."

"Fairy talk? I hardly jingle when I speak," Regina scoffed.

Emma turned into her driveway. "You know what I mean: Enchanted Forest talk. You're usually so, good at keeping your Storybrooke/Enchanted Forest speak straight."

"I just slipped because I was contextualizing your current living arrangement with your roots."

"Mmhm. In other words, you messed up. Tell me, Ms. Mills, how many times did you do that during the curse?"

"Too many to count. Hurry, I will wait here."

Emma opened the door to get out. "You don't want to come in?"

"Mary Margaret isn't here to annoy. Hurry, Emma. You're wasting time you could be warming up to beat Henry at Slash Warriors." Emma rolled her eyes and closed the door, not bothering to offer the correct game title.

After a short wait, Emma returned to the Mercedes and tossed a beat-up paperback copy of _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_ into Regina's lap as she settled into the driver's seat. "So I guess you're wanting me to come over and warm up for my game night with Henry as opposed to doing it here?"

"Is that ok?"

"Only if you cook dinner." Emma gave Regina a challenging look.

"Done." Emma was shocked at Regina's willingness to comply. "Is there something you had in mind?"

"No. You do everything so well. How can I possibly choose?"

Regina gloated at the compliment and mumbled,"You have no idea."

"What was that?" Emma seemed shocked, but assumed she had misheard.

"I was grumbling. You asked me to cook for you but you're unwilling to contribute ideas."

Emma knew Regina was lying, but felt herself relax at the false reassurance. "My bad?"

Regina rolled her eyes, "Let's start from the top: vegetarian or meat?"

Emma cut her eyes at Regina; she was appalled to even be asked such a question. "Are you kidding? Meat. Always."

"Always is extreme. I could cook you a meal so wonderfully vegetarian, you would never miss the meat."

"Doubt it. But I will try. Just not tonight."

"Okay. Next: Beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, or fish."

"Oh. So many options! Beef?"

"Do you like spicy foods?"

"In moderation."

"It's a yes or no question, Emma."

Emma thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Then it is settled," Regina announced as they pulled into her driveway. The two filed into the mansion. Emma was beginning to go upstairs to Henry's game room. "Don't be dense, Emma, you two will be using the TV downstairs in the den, per Henry's request." Emma looked impressed, but didn't voice as much. "You'll find his console is already down here, all you have to do is set it up." Emma nodded. "I'm going to lay out what I need to make dinner, and then I will join you, if that is okay."

"That's perfectly fine." Emma made her way to the television and began working with the cables.

"Very well. Can I get you anything?"

"Juice or water would be nice, if it isn't a problem."

"Not a problem at all. Make yourself comfortable." After setting up the console, Emma did as she was told. She skipped though the prompts and began playing. Not too long after, Regina joined her with Emma's worn out copy of _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_ in tow. Emma had moved the coffee table out of her way, settled on the floor, legs crossed, with a throw pillow behind her back. Regina sat a glass of juice down with a coaster beside Emma on the floor. Regina sat down on the sofa close behind Emma, slid her shoes off, and tucked her legs underneath her. Regina made sure her seat was in a place where Emma's head could often and easily be touched. And Regina made sure that she was taking complete advantage of the proximity by "mindlessly" playing with the blonde locks.

"What time are you picking Henry up?"

"He is supposed to call when he is finished with tennis."

"Okay."

"Do you want to come with us for ice cream?"

"I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding. I'm inviting you."

"It might not be an intrusion to you, but it might be to Henry."

"He will live," Emma shrugged.

"So the object of this game is to push someone off of a platform?" Regina asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, more or less. The challenge is an opponent who knows your fighting style. Or that can work against pretty much any style of fighting."

"Which opponent is Henry?"

"To be honest, he is the first. But don't tell him I said that."

"Of course not."

"Which are you?"

"The second."

"Why do I doubt that?"

"Because you have no faith in me whatsoever."

Regina smirked, and bravely, caressed Emma's cheek. "I do have faith in you."

"Can I ask you something?" Regina opened her mouth to speak, but Emma cut her off, "And before you point out that I just asked you something, I mean something besides that."

"Of course you can."

Unsatisfied with that answer alone, Emma asked, "Will you answer honestly?"

Regina sighed but answered without hesitation, "Absolutely."

Emma took a deep breath, and continued playing Smash. "Were you serious about what you said that one time? About the possibility of dating me."

"Why would I joke about something like that?"

"I don't know. I've been giving it some thought." That was a lie; Regina consumed about eighty percent of Emma's thoughts lately (the other twenty percent was divided among Henry, food, her parents, and her little brother, with food and Henry taking up the majority of the twenty percent). Emma never stopped playing her game, and what she said next fell from her lips, jumbled on the exhale. "And I am not sure if I am really ready. But I think I'd be willing to try if you were."

"Emma, look at me." Emma paused the game and looked up at the woman sitting on the sofa behind her. "Now, repeat yourself."

Emma was unsure of Regina's tone. She sounded calm, but stern. So she locked gazes with Regina and somewhat nervously said, "I've been giving _us_ some thought, and I am not sure if I am really ready. But I think I'm willing to try if you are." Upon finishing her statement, she looked shyly away from Regina's hard gaze.

"Emma."

"Yes?"

"You know what's next right?"

"Not exactly. I didn't think that far in advance. I was just trying to get those words out in the open."

"Well, the next step is we go on a date."

Emma laughed. "That seems a little out of order, doesn't it? I mean when you really think about it. We've been raising Henry together for the past four years, give or take, and we are going on a date. What could we possibly learn that we don't already know?"

Regina smiled, "Well, we could talk to each other and get to know one another in a romantic, dating context. Likes. Dislikes. Expectations. For example, I know that when left to your own devices, you eat like a child. What I don't know, however, is whether you like to pursue or be pursued in relationships. Just like I know you say you're not sentimental, and yet you've driven the same car for. . . How long now? But I don't know how you feel about PDA. Just as I can assume there are things you know about me, but you don't know the answers I would give when asked about these issues."

"I see your point." Emma turned away from Regina and resumed playing her game. "So when can I take you out? On our first date." Emma let the words 'first date' roll off her tongue. She quite enjoyed saying them, she realized with a grin. A date. With Regina Mills.

"Give me day and a time and I will check my schedule." Regina knew her schedule was wide open, and she figured Emma did as well.

"How about Friday?" Emma stopped for a second, muttered something under her breath directed at the television. After successfully knocking Dr. Mario off of the platform, she clarified, "Tomorrow Friday. Not next Friday." She selected her next battle and waited for Regina's response.

"Why, Miss Swan, that is such short notice," Regina scolded. "How can you expect me to just drop everything and accommodate your request?"

"Um, I am pretty sure that you have no plans tomorrow. Henry is staying with my parents at my place."

"You're not my only suitor you know!"

"Really? You're finally going to let Sneezy take you out? Or better yet, Sleazy?"

"Emma, Mr. Clark is a nice man!"

"Doesn't mean that he isn't Sneezy."

Regina nodded even though Emma couldn't see her. "Sneezy, yes, but Sleazy is a bit extreme, dear."

"Is it weird I have always loved when you call me that?"

"What's that? Sleazy?" Regina teased. She then answered seriously, "No. I have always called you 'dear' to affect you in some way or another. But don't get me side tracked. Why is Mr. Clark sleazy? Has he made an inappropriate advance at you?" Though Regina tried, she could not mask the concern in her voice. She only hoped that it came across as just that—concern—and not overprotection or worse, jealousy.

"Sleazy wasn't referring to Mr. Clark. Sleazy is Whale."

"Oh. I can't argue with you there."

"So, tomorrow night?" Emma steered their conversation back on track.

"6:30 and Don't be late."

"Never." Though Regina often chastised Emma's behavior, she had to admit that she was seldom, if ever, late. Timeliness was a strong suit for Emma.

"Now tell me, Emma. Do you prefer to be pursued, or do you prefer to pursue?"

"I'm pretty sure I asked _you_ out. I am picking _you_ up. I am taking _you_ out. Not the other way around. Does that answer your question?"

"Do you always assume that role?"

"With women, yes. With men, it's a toss up. Why? Do you have preference?"

"I will be honest. I have never really had someone who actively pursued me. Even with Daniel, my authority caused me to have to assume the role of I take that back: I've never had anyone besides the genie/Mr. Glass actively pursue me. When I was queen, I usually used my authority to get what I wanted." Regina's voice had hints of shame upon saying these words, and Emma detected as such.

"What about Robin. Did he pursue you?"

"Kind of. I mean, I don't know. We never really defined what we were doing. Everything just came together as we got to know one another. Sometimes I felt like I sought him out more often than he did me."

"I get it. That's kind of how things were with Neal and me."

"How good are you about communicating in relationships?"

Emma thought for a moment then decided, "Usually pretty good. If I am comfortable enough to be in an actual romantic relationship, then generally I am also comfortable enough to talk about whatever is going on. Sometimes I wait too long, and I get a little emotional, but when that happens, I'm ready to let it all out."

"I like to process things myself before I try to talk about them. If I am ever upset or angry, I need time to figure out the real root of the problem before I try to reach out to someone else."

"Sounds reasonable enough. Kind of psych-y though."

"Emma, I have spent time in counseling, particularly about my anger management."

"I know." Emma seemed unfazed by Regina's admission. She didn't think much of time on the couch. She was there several times while growing up in the system, and as an adult, she actively sought and went through counseling to come to terms with her childhood and adolescence. "My question is, when do we tell Henry about all of this? Do we tell him what we are doing? Or do we wait until we get it all figured out?" Emma completed another battle in Smash, and rather than starting again, she sat the controller down and stood up only to turn and sit down again on the couch next to Regina. "I don't like the idea of withholding anything from him."

"I know. Keeping secrets from him damages his trust. And I guess a lot of that is my fault. I. . ." Regina was cut off.

"Don't start that blame game. He's forgiven you. So you need to forgive yourself and move forward."

"He may have forgiven me, but the hurt still shines through sometimes. It's hard to forgive myself when I see how I damaged him."

"Well, then I think our issue is settled." Emma lightly grabbed one of Regina's hands and squeezed it.

Regina looked at Emma, seeking answers. "Oh?"

"We absolutely tell him. Tonight." Upon hearing Emma's words, Regina nodded in agreement. Emma tried to pull her hand away, but Regina kept her hold on it and laced their fingers together.

"You have a way of talking to him that I don't. Do you want to tell him when you get ice cream?"

"No. Regina, if there is going to be an _us_ , then starting now, we face issues together. Even little ones. Like telling Henry that the former Evil Queen and the former Dark One are potentially an item."

Regina laughed, "Fine."

Regina and Emma spent the remainder of the afternoon talking, holding hands, and exchanging shy, curious glances, and as three o'clock rolled around, the two settled into the idea of their budding relationship. It seemed easy enough: the same women as before with the same feelings toward one another only just a little more honesty about those feelings.

They were interrupted by the sound of Emma's cell phone buzzing on the floor where she left it earlier. The buzz was short, though, which signaled to Emma that it was a text rather than a call. She leaned over, to grab the phone, then sat back up. "It's from Henry," Emma said to no one in particular. She silently read the words on the screen _Do you think it will be okay if we skip ice cream and just do video games later?_ Emma replied: _Yea. That's fine. Everything ok?_ There was a short wait; then her phone buzzed again: _Everything is fine. Just wanted to take Sydney for a walk after tennis practice. Probably will walk her home._ Emma smirked as she typed her response: _Wow. Getting blown off for girls. It's cool. If you want me to pick you up after you walk her home just call. Your mom is cooking and then we will SMASH!_ Henry quickly returned: _That means you'll be at dinner right? Oh and you're going doooown! Practice is starting. Thanks for understanding :)_. Even though he wouldn't get the message until after practice, Emma text back: _Doubt I'll be losing. Regina gave me an unfair advantage: been warming up against your Amiibo since lunch…_

Thoroughly satisfied with her smack talk, Emma turned to Regina. "Soooo…" Regina simply arched a perfectly shaped eye brow. "Henry just blew me off to walk a 'Sydney' home after tennis."

"The scone girl?" Regina inquired.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I didn't think to ask for details about the girl's diet. But I'm assuming he didn't mean the Genie."

Regina ignored the last comment, "Good. You can help me with dinner."

"You actually want my help?"

"Yes, all great chefs have a dish washer." Regina teased.

"Fine. There is only one problem." Emma sounded slightly disappointed.

"What is that, Dear?"

"I _really_ wanted ice cream." Emma pouted.

"I'll make you a deal." Emma was all ears. "You look at the Facepage App, do your bounty hunter thing, and tell me all you can find about this scone-ivore. In return, I will get you ice cream." Emma seized the opportunity and didn't both to correct Regina that Facepage App was actually called Facebook.

Emma and Regina returned home after getting ice cream. Both were in high spirits, most likely induced by the copious amounts of sugar they consumed. They blissfully passed the time before they needed to begin cooking by talking and partaking in jovial banter. Just as Regina began moving toward the kitchen to prepare their meal, she received a phone call.

"Hello sweetheart." Emma knew instantly that Henry was on the other end. "As much as I think we would all enjoy that, tonight is not a good night." Emma sat through a pause. "I'm sorry Henry. Not tonight. It will have to wait until another time." Regina seemed to leave no room for argument, but Emma, knowing that Henry was indeed her child, noticed that Regina's face was an indication that Henry, obviously, kept arguing. His brunette mother was beyond irritated. "Tomorrow will not work either. You already have plans with your grandparents." There was a short pause that she quickly broke, "If you do not stop arguing with me this instant, you are going to be grounded." Emma got up and left the room, taking her cell phone with her. She decided to 'use the bathroom'; she shut the door behind her and immediately began dialing Henry's number. She almost hoisted herself on the sink but thought better of it, not knowing how Regina felt about sitting on counter tops and figuring that she would somehow know.

Instead she flipped the lid to the toilet down—probably a little louder than she should have—and waiting for her son to answer. "What, Ma?" He greeted her.

"Hey, I know you and your mom are arguing, but don't take it out on me."

"Sorry," he grumbled disingenuously.

"So what's going on?"

"She's on hold. So I have to hurry."

"Did you tell her I was beeping in?" Emma was momentarily concerned. She knew she shouldn't be meddling.

"No, I didn't. And the problem is I asked her if we could all eat at Granny's tonight. I wanted to bring Sydney. When she said no to Granny's, I asked if Syd could come eat at the house. She said no to that too. I want you and Mom to meet my friend."

"That's sweet. I can't wait to meet her, and I'm sure your mom will be just as excited. But here's the thing, we need to talk as a family tonight. I know your Mom hasn't told you as much. But I am."

"Are we having the moving talk?" Henry sounded concerned.

"No. We are having a good talk about less. . . heavy topics. Or at least I hope it will be a good talk about less heavy topics. It really depends on you. Right now, though, it doesn't seem so promising."

"Why can't Mom talk to me like this? That is all she had to say to me. Instead she just said 'no' without a justification." Henry's anger subsided and he began to see the situation more clearly. Of course Regina wasn't just being difficult. She had reasons for her actions. Reasons she didn't reveal, but reasons no less.

Emma wanted to tell Henry that he needed to just trust his mother sometimes instead of questioning her or arguing with her about everything, but since Regina was on hold on the other line, that was going to have to come later. Instead, she smiled, "If your Mom talked to you like I do, then you wouldn't need me. Speaking of needing me, do you need me to pick you up?"

"No. Syd lives a couple of streets over from us. I will just walk."

"Ok, now go apologize to your mother. This conversation never happened."

"Right. Bye."

Upon hearing Henry's farewell, Emma hung up the phone and stood up. She was about to just walk out of the bathroom, but thought better of it. She flushed the toilet, and washed her hands for good measure. She went to walk out of the bathroom casually, slipping her phone in her pocket. She was startled, though, by Regina looming right outside of the doorway with her arms crossed.

"Very smooth, Miss Swan." Regina's voice was chastising, but Emma feigned innocence.

"Excuse me?"

"I know what you were doing."

"Using the bathroom?" Emma tried.

"Wasting water." Regina seemed to be going to leave it at that. But Emma was not so lucky, so Regina continued, "AND forcing my son. . . our son," she immediately corrected, "to put me on hold while you, once again, put yourself in the middle of everything."

Emma wasn't afraid of Regina. In fact, Regina had a look behind the mask of anger that seemed to ask Emma to challenge her. "Well, after you were on hold, what happened?"

Regina put her hand on her hip, cocked her head slightly to the side, and huffed, "None of your business. Which, is exactly the point I am trying to make here."

"Hm. Actually, this is very much my business." Emma said with all seriousness. Then she smirked, "And your response told me all I needed to know. You can be mad at me all you want, but the fact of the matter is, I explained things to Henry in a way that worked and he backed down. You got your way. But you can't stand that I'm the reason you did." Regina's position stayed the same, but her stance relaxed and her scowl softened. Emma stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Regina's waist and led her toward the kitchen. When they were at the breakfast bar, Emma stopped. She considered her next move very briefly, but decided 'what the heck.' She leaned into Regina and buried her nose in the dark tresses then pressed a quick, chaste kiss against her temple. "Am I forgiven?" She whispered, not moving her head too far from where she planted the kiss.

Regina enjoyed the feeling of having Emma that close more than she would probably admit. Her face gave her away though. Her eyes had fluttered closed, and she instinctually leaned into the other woman. She caught herself before she was too far gone and pulled away. "You can't help it that the ability to mind your own business is deficient in your genetic makeup. So yes, you're forgiven." Regina made her way to the opposite side of the bar and washed her hands to begin cooking.

Dinner was almost finished when Henry came in. He made his way upstairs, then back down again and joined Emma and Regina.

"So what's for dinner?" was his greeting. Emma looked at him and shook her head, then looked to Regina.

"Colombian steak."

"And there it is!" Henry exclaimed.

Regina looked confused, as did Emma. "Kid, you're gonna have to explain."

"You. Are. Gonna. LOSE at Smash! Mom, you're BRILLIANT!"

Regina still looked confused and noticed Emma had no explanation. "How does all this add up, Henry? Your logic isn't as apparent as you seem to think."

"I don't think Emma knows how spicy you make this dish. She's gonna be so miserable with heartburn. There's no way I can lose! You're the best, Mom."

Emma rolled her eyes, but Regina was full of concern. "Emma, you didn't tell me that spicy food give you heartburn!"

"I sorta did. Remember? Moderation? To which you said 'It's a yes or no question, Emma.' And before you say anything, the answer is YES. I love it. It just doesn't always love me. But it is fine. I have my secret weapon in the car."

Regina was satisfied enough with that response to not argue further. Instead she nodded, "Go get your antidote, Emma. Then come and help me. Henry, you may set the table and wash up."

After completing their respective tasks, Henry was seated at the table, and Emma was helping Regina carry their plates and a bottle of wine to the dining room. Regina opened the wine, and poured two glasses and then a third glass which was filled only with a half portion. Emma's eyes bulged from her head when Regina placed the half-glass beside Henry's water. Emma's look didn't go unnoticed. Henry was the first to speak up, "It's cool, Ma. It's not an all-the-time thing. Just special occasions." Henry thought for a moment. "And apparently Thursday night gaming with you is now a special occasion." He was suddenly skeptical. "Unless . . . Are you trying to help Emma beat me?" Henry was genuinely offended.

Regina laughed at Henry's sudden reaction. She turned to Emma, "I am trying to culture him. Most children were no longer considered children by his age in the Enchanted Forest and that process was already in full swing. Here, I hope that by the time he is of age to drink, if he chooses to stay here of course, the newness will have worn off, and he will maintain his composure when he is around it."

Emma nodded her understanding. "It makes complete sense, I know I was his age the first time I broke into Ingrid's secret stash in foster care. . . I got so trashed before I knew what happened and. . ." She noticed a look from Regina. One that she couldn't discern. Thinking better than to continue she stopped, "So I get it. Curiosity sets in at his age, so supervision and education is the way to go."

Regina nodded, satisfied with the response. "I am glad we see eye to eye." The remainder of the meal passed in comfortable conversation: Henry's schooling, Henry's homework, Regina's job, Emma's job, Henry's progress in tennis. The hot topics didn't arise until everyone seemed to be finished eating. Emma refilled her wine glass, then Regina's, she looked to Regina for approval before giving Henry another small serving. Then, Regina wasted no time when Emma sat down. "Henry, Emma and I are very anxious to hear about your new. . . Romantic interest."

Of course they were. Henry rolled his eyes."She's nice. She is on the tennis team. She is very good. She likes reading and video games like me. She's kind of a movie buff. And she is not a romantic interest. We are hanging out and getting to know each other. Like, we might want to date, but we want to make sure that we are compatible." Henry was hoping this answer would suffice for now. Fortunately, Regina saw this as the perfect place to take the conversation in the direction she needed.

"You know, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable talking about things like this. We are a family, and communication fuels families." She inwardly nodded, proud of herself for remembering that phrase from Archie.

"Yes, of course." Henry stated matter of factly.

"I don't want to be unable to talk to you about my relationships either, Henry."

Upon hearing these words, Henry's face scrunched up slightly. "I don't want to hear everything about your relationships. Just so we are clear on that. Some things, sons aren't supposed to know." He looked from Regina to Emma to make sure both knew that he wasn't singling either of them out.

This time, Emma spoke up. "So you said that you, I'm paraphrasing here, were wanting to 'get to know Sydney' with the possibility of dating her as your motivation. What if we told you that Regina and I had similar intentions." Henry looked as though he was unsure of what she meant, but before he could ask for clarification, Regina chimed in.

"With each other. How would you feel about that."

Upon hearing this explanation, realization set in for Henry. "You two want to date each other?" No other emotions were expressed.

Emma answered, "We are exploring the option. Kind of like you and Sydney. Only things are more complicated for us. Your Mom and I have both been hurt by and lost people who meant a lot to us. So we are not wanting to rush into anything. Plus we have you to consider—"

Emma was cut off by Regina "And Henry, please know that if you aren't 100% on board with this. It's not happening. It has been hard enough on you these past few years with people coming in and out of your life, whether by choice or otherwise—"

Emma cut Regina off this time, "And Regina and I have worked hard to get to where we are in terms of being parents to you and being friendly about it. You were the factor that helped us get there. You were the common goal. So we want you to be a part of this equation all the way. If you say no, then it isn't happening."

Henry spoke up, "What if I say okay now, but later, I don't like it." Regina and Emma hadn't considered this remark, so Regina decided to field it.

"Well, Henry, if Emma and I do pursue this potential with your approval and it works, and then you go back on it, it is going to be harder for us to walk away from that. It is going to be one of those times we have to communicate as a family and reach a compromise."

"So I can speak now or forever hold my peace?" Henry seemed to be shutting down the idea.

Emma jumped in, "That's not at all what your mother said. It's just that if you say this is fine, and your Mom and I end up falling in love—or something—with each other, it is going to hurt us if you don't see or support that love. It's more complicated than just your wants versus our wants."

Henry seemed to accept this response, and nodded as he processed. "How does this change things?"

Emma said, "I hope it doesn't change anything except the fact that your mother and I may go on dates, and that I will spend more time with both of you."

"Will we still have our time?" He looked expectantly at Emma.

"Absolutely. And I hope that you and Regina will still have time to yourselves as well."

Emma looked then to Regina who replied, "Henry, this will, indeed, change things. It is going to change how the three of us interact on a day to day basis. It is going to change how much time the three of us spend as a family. It is going to change how we make decisions, since," Regina stopped to regroup to ensure she didn't sound presumptuous, "if this goes well," she decided to add, "Emma and I will no longer be co-parenting, but parenting as a nuclear family structure. But I don't want this to change our relationship." She signaled between herself and Henry. "Nor do I want this to change your relationship." She repeated the motion between Henry and Emma.

Emma spoke up, "So yes, Henry. Things will change. But things are going to change for better, not for worse."

Henry's emotions of confusion, distrust, and skepticism from throughout the conversation all left his face, and he formed a huge smile. "So are you two going on a date?"

Emma and Regina looked and smiled. Then told him simultaneously, "Tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: Apologies for a year-long delay. And more apologies for the brevity of the chapter. Feedback appreciated but not necessary.**

The next day dragged on for both Emma and Regina. Between checking their memory potion, dealing with city business, and meeting with the Royal Council, the two barely had time to think about much less discuss plans for the evening. All of that changed as soon as the Council meeting was over. Emma walked Regina to her office so that that the mayor could shut down her computer and collect her belongings. The blonde didn't want to linger inside too long, though. Emma told Regina she would pick her up at her house at 6:30 and asked if she thought that would be enough time. Regina snapped her fingers and in a cloud of purple smoke her clothes were changed, her make up was freshened and slightly changed to suit her attire. Emma rolled her eyes at the action.

"You know, Regina," Emma began. "I'm trying to take this seriously. I'm going home to change, and I will see you in an hour or so."

Regina retorted, "I only use magic for serious needs. Therefore, I too, am taking this seriously." Regina waved her hand and Emma, whose back was turned as she walked away, was enveloped in purple smoke, just as the mayor had been. Regina laughed aloud as Emma almost fell. She had not anticipated a change in wardrobe, much less the altered agility needed to adapt from her signature riding-style boots to four-inch stilettos. Fortunately she caught herself on the door frame.

After she steadied herself, Emma turned around and glared at Regina while rubbing her left ankle. "Joke's on you. I still need a few minutes. I will see you in an hour?"

Regina rolled her eyes. She knew nothing could be simple with Emma, but she could always use that to her advantage. She quickly shifted her visage to one more stern and more seductive. "Don't be late, Miss Swan. I don't wish to be kept waiting."

"Hold on! We rode together! In your car! I need to run a quick errand. There's no way I can make it!" Emma began to panic.

For the first time it occurred to Emma that she hadn't driven Regina in the Bug since they went to New York. And lately, she had been behind the wheel of the Mercedes chauffeuring Regina around at the brunette's every whim. Forgetting the thought as quickly as it came, though, she raised her hand to magic herself where she needed to go, but Regina huffed and began digging through her bag, the action stopping Emma. Finding the item she was looking for, she pulled it out. She removed her ring of various keys from the ring with the car key and extended the single one to Emma.

In the same semi-seductive tone as before, Regina scolded the blonde, "I don't know how I feel about this, Emma. You borrowing _my_ car to take me on _our_ first date."

Upon hearing Regina's tone, Emma was reminded of the Regina she met when she first came to Storybrooke. The Regina she had not thought twice about punching right outside of the Mills' mausoleum. The Regina she had violently confronted when Henry was poisoned by the apple turnover intended for Emma. The Regina who was a blatant sociopath and tried to convince Henry that he was crazy. Emma was also reminded of the privileges that Regina was afforded growing up, and in turn she was reminded of her own lack thereof.

All of these thoughts were too much. Emma began having doubts about the whole dating situation. Regina's stern, seductive demeanor was overwhelming the excitement she felt earlier about taking the woman out on a date. Emma's doubts gave rise to her defenses, "I didn't ask for your car, Regina," she spat out. "If you see this," Emma gestured between herself and Regina, "as you doing _me_ a favor, just forget the whole date." With those words, Regina saw a puff of silver smoke, and Emma was gone.

"Damn it," Regina cursed. Not at Emma, not at herself. Just at the situation. And maybe a little bit at Emma. And herself. "Damn it." She repeated. The mayor then locked down her office, and made her way to the car, deciding that rather than going to find Emma, she would be better off just going to her own house and letting the blonde come to her when she was ready.

On the other side of town, Emma was cursing herself also, but for a different reason. A very different reason indeed. She knew she had overreacted, but that wasn't her concern anymore. Her concern was that rather than being in her kitchen, the one she shared with her parents and younger brother, she was in Regina's kitchen. 'Stupid magic,' she thought. She was thinking 'home' and 'kitchen' when she teleported. How did she end up here? Deep down, she knew how, but she wasn't ready to admit that the kitchen she saw in the recesses of her brain when the word 'home' was thrown in the mix was not her own. Instead of acknowledging this revelation, she simply imagined her Bug. She couldn't go wrong there. And with that thought, Emma was enveloped in smoke once again.

When Regina arrived home, she sensed that magic had been used not too long before she arrived, but she also knew whose it was. She hoped that the blonde would be back. Regina figured in the mean time, she could sit, have a glass of cider, and wonder what had gone wrong. After pouring her glass, she made her way to her study, where she grabbed a pen and her memo pad. She listed the events the last hour and lost herself in thought. 'Was it the magically conjured dress?' Regina ruled that out, Emma looked stellar and knew for a fact that the blonde loved that dress _and_ how she looked in it. 'Maybe it was that I laughed when she lost her footing.' Regina tapped her pen and chose not to mark that off the list. 'Did I come off too Evil Queen-y?' Regina also did not scratch this option off her list. She clearly needs to work on flirting in the land where she isn't a queen. Seduction in Storybrooke is different than the Enchanted Forest. And she knows as much, but when you learn the ways of ladies from a dragon… 'Ok. Regina back on track. Where did this go wrong?'

The doorbell rang, pulling Regina from her thoughts. She stood, downed the last of her cider, and looked at herself in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she made her way to the door and opened it without stopping to look to see who was there. Needless to say she was surprised to see Emma in the same outfit Regina had conjured standing nervously holding a bouquet of white roses and a bottle of wine. Although she had expected the blonde to show up before the night was over, she had not been expecting her to show up in time for their date with roses and wine, so Regina stood there, slightly dumbfounded. Emma spoke up first. "We still have forty five minutes until our reservation, can I come in and talk for a minute? I owe you an explanation and an apology."

"Emma, you don't owe me anything. I don't have any expectations. Well," Regina corrected, "I have _expectations_. But not from you regarding from this." She reached for Emma's arm and guided her gently into the den, but Emma stopped.

"Can we put these in something?" Emma handed the roses to Regina. "And maybe have this conversation over a glass of wine?" Emma signaled the bottle she still held.

"Of course." The two made their way to the kitchen, where Regina busied herself with finding a vase the right size for the eighteen-rose arrangement and Emma went to work opening and pouring the wine.

Emma sat two glasses of wine down at the bar, signaling to Regina that's where they should talk. As soon as the roses were in a vase, Regina put them at the end of the bar and sat down. Emma was already hard at work on her wine, but already having one, strong drink under her belt, Regina chose not to dive in right away. The blonde cleared her throat very quietly then took a deep breath which she immediately released. "I need to apologize. I panicked." Emma wasn't given an opportunity to continue her line of thought. Regina placed a finger over her lips.

"You can tell me what was going on in that _charming_ brain of yours, but you will not apologize for. . . Whatever that was." Emma was confused. The Regina who flooded her memories right before she panicked was a far cry from the one now who was refusing to accept an apology. Regina picked up on the confusion and continued, "You were obviously triggered or processing something. I can't get mad at you for that. And there is no reason you should apologize for it. Going into this you told me you had reservations about dating so soon. This is me accepting as much."

Out of everything she had expected Regina to say, that had not been on the list of possibilities. But realizing she needed to say something, she spoke up. "You know, four years ago, when I first came to your house, I felt like a stranger. Which, of course, I didn't know you. I had never been here before. I was supposed to feel that way. I don't know where I am going with this. I mean, I do, but I'm not saying it. Can I start again?"

"Emma?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you nervous?" Regina's tone was soft, and it was all she could do to keep from pulling Emma into her arms and comforting her, but getting to the bottom of this tension and the earlier incident was higher on Regina's list of priorities. "It's just us here, Emma. You and me."

"I think it is the 'date' thing. I don't want to mess it, well, this, up."

"If that's all that has you worried, how about we don't think of it as a date?"

"Regina, if it isn't a date this time, it will have to be eventually. I want this. More than I feel like I've led you to believe."

"But you said yourself that you weren't ready. And I think you're definitely right about that."

"Listen. Today, when we were at your office. I just remembered so much about you when I first met you. I thought about the lies and the fighting. I don't know what triggered it. If it was you and that. . . demeanor. . . you have sometimes. Or if it was me. I just thought about you and felt—unworthy. Unworthy of everything. The queen. The mayor. The house. The Mercedes. I realized my anger both back then and even sometimes now comes from that inferiority. I mean, regardless of VIN numbers, my car is stolen. I've lived out of my car. Essentially homeless. I had my first born in prison!"

Regina was taken aback by Emma's confession. "Did you come to this realization today?"

"Yeah. But about that. There's another reason I came here. It wasn't for the date. I mean. It was but I came with the understanding that you might not want to go out with me tonight. I realized that I don't want to not try this. Henry and you mean so much to me. I want to be a permanent figure in your lives. And if dating you is a way to ensure that, then I'm not going to piss away the opportunity just because I feel beneath you."

Resisting her deepest urge to make a suggestive comment about Emma being 'beneath her,' Regina asked,"What made you come to that conclusion?"

"It's kind of strange. When I left your office, I was trying to go back to my house, to my kitchen. But apparently my kitchen isn't the first that comes to mind when I am thinking 'home' and 'kitchen' together. Yours is. When I ended up here," Emma pointed to the exact spot she appeared earlier, "I realized that I was panicking for no reason. This is you we are talking about. Not Regina from four years ago."

"You know she's still here, right?"

"I know. But I know the you who put her away. I know which side of you is stronger." Emma finally gathered the courage let go of her wine glass and put her hand over Regina's. The brunette wasted no time turning her hand over and threading their fingers together.

"You had so much to do with that. Which is exactly why I never want you to feel like you're unworthy. I know you didn't grow up in the Forest around the monarchical culture, so I need to remind you that you are a _princess_. You're the rightful heir to the throne that afforded me the position of mayor. If anything, I am beneath _you_. Everything you think I am, Emma, you are so much more." Regina had been moving in closer to Emma as she spoke. When she was close enough to reach her goal, Regina looked into Emma's eyes. Then, without further hesitation, she leaned in and kissed Emma's lips. She landed intentionally on the blonde's bottom lip, and although she didn't begin the kiss intending to deepen it, that is exactly what she did. Her tongue slid across Emma's lip, and Emma gladly received it.

Though Regina initiated the intimacy, once her tongue was in Emma's mouth, the blonde took control. She released her hand from Regina's and put a hand in the dark hair. The other slipped around Regina's hips and pulled her into a standing position and then closer to Emma. When she was standing between Emma's legs, Regina put one arm under Emma's and the other she propped on the blonde's shoulder. The kiss went on, but the two eventually separated and Regina said, "You have no idea how special being the product of true love makes you." Emma grinned and shied away from eye contact. Instead she leaned in and pecked Regina's lips.

"You know, you really know how to solve a case of first date nerves."

Regina beamed, "I know a lot of good solutions to many problems. So where are we going?"

Emma glanced at the block on the oven. "Considering we are going to Harbor Street, and our table is booked for… Five, make that four minutes from now, I am not so sure we are going anywhere."

Regina stared at Emma blankly. "You're joking, right? We can be there literally in seconds and _no one_ in this town is going to deny the mayor and the sheriff their table, never mind the Evil Queen and the Savior. Or better yet, the Dark One and the Savior."

Emma nodded and brought her other arm to Regina's hips. "Good point. Hold on." When the silver smoke cleared for the third time that day, the two were still in each other's embrace outside of _Piccoli Piatti_. Once they realized they had arrived safely and successfully they disentangled themselves, and Emma opened the door, keeping one hand possessively on the small of Regina's back, "After you."


End file.
